1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to image processing technology, and more particularly to the technique for performing image processing efficiently and enabling its result to be checked easily.
2. Description of the Related Art
To subject images to image processing, including brightness and color adjustments, the following adjusting method has been generally used. The user displays the whole of or the main part of an image to be processed on the display. Looking at the image, the user operates the adjusting slider and dial with the mouse or the like, thereby adjusting such parameters as brightness and color so as to obtain a desired image.
With this method, however, the user can observe only the image corresponding to the parameter being adjusted. Since there is no object to be compared with the image, it is very difficult to determine whether the image has been adjusted to the desired one. Therefore, the user cannot adjust the image to a satisfactory one swiftly unless the user accumulates a certain amount of experience.
The function of preparing an image obtained by reducing the original image and displaying the image before processing and the image after the parameters have been adjusted variously side by side on the same screen has been included particularly in entry-level image processing software. In this method, a plurality of images displayed can be compared with one another at a glance. Therefore, the method is suitable to grasp how the adjustments have been made, but is unsuitable for detailed adjustment because the images are small.
A method of displaying the image in an area of the original image so as to highlight the image while leaving the images in the other areas unchanged has been disclosed (Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2002-152496). Use of this method enables the original image to be compared with the processed image on one screen.